Carton sealing machine



- CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed Sept 5, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheetl Jab. 20, 1942. M, E 2,270,329

CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1.940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 z'rajrrzszz ea; M

M Jan. 20, 1942. I p L. '2,270,3Zq\ CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1940 "4 Sheds-Sheet} Zvra'efr 02.-

4 She'ets-She et 4 a Q w 5% r %v Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in carton sealing machines and more especially to such apparatus for sealing the flaps of filled cartons and containers made of fibre board or similar material. 7

In the sealing of such cartons it is customary to coat the flaps with a suitable adhesive and then hold the sameclosed with suitable pressure until the adhesive sets or dries.

Machines of this typ as heretofore made were adapted to handle cartons of only one height at onetime. Some were provided-with adjusting means to permit their use with cartons of different heightsbut only one height of carton could be accommodated when the machine was in one of its adjusted positions. Before a carton of another height could be sealed, more or less elaborate readjustment of the machine was required.

One of the particular features of my invention is the provision of a machine that can handle cartons of various heights at the same time without any adjustment or alteration of the machine whatsoever.- That is, cartons of various heights (within limits) can be fed into the machine, one right after the other. and all will be effectually sealed.

My improved machine is relatively simple inconstruction, thus reducing production costs; and its operation is exceedingly simple and effective. Other features and advantages of my -inven-. tion will appear more fully as I proceed with my specification.

is-an end view of the discharge end; Fig. 5 is a I view taken as indicated by the line 5 of Fig. 2;

and Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of one of the cartons.

. A brief preliminary general description of the construction and operation of the machine will be helpful. The cartons A, A, A", etc. of various heights (within limits) are carried through the machine on the belt conveyor It. At each side of the machine, traveling at the same rate as the belt conveyor carried on suitable chains, are

the vertical channels or guides ll, each pair carrying a presser weight (roller l2), freely movable vertically in the guides.

- At the front or receiving end of the machine these rollers are permited to descend by gravity in the vertical guides II by the inclined plane or motor 22.

' apron l3 which is hinged at I4. The carton it.

lifts the free end of apron l3 suificiently so that the carton moves under it, the end of the apron resting on the carotn. As it does this, the rollers l2, as they leave the apron, rest on the top of the carton and move along with the carton, thus serving to press and hold the glued flaps together until the adhesive sets. Whatever the height of the carton, it will be seen that a number of presser rollers will be deposited upon the top of it as they leave the apron it.

At the back or discharge end of the machine the rollers [2 are lifted from the cartons by the inclined strips l5 near their ends. The rollers ride up these strips l5 until they are just about to leave or actually leaving the upper ends of the vertical guides II when they are picked up by the fingers 16 of the vertical conveyor, synchronously driven, and raised until they engage the inclined strips H which remove them from the fingers I6 and deposit them upon the inclined runners l8 where they roll back by gravity to the front of the machine where they are engaged by fingers I9 of the horizontal feeder, also synchronously driven, and properly timed to be deposited, one in each pair of vertical guides II by which they are again moved forwardly resting on the apron l3 until discharged from the end thereof onto another carton.

The horizontal conveyor belt I0 is supported at its ends by suitable rollers 20 and 2i and driven in any suitable manner, as, for example, by the V The length of belt it through the machine is supported at suitable intervals by the supporting rollers 23. At the receiving end of the machine are provided suitable rollers 2t upon which the carton A can rest before being pushed into the machine. 25 indicates a spring trigger adapted to be engaged by the carton as it is pushed into the machine to close an electric switch (not shown) to start the motor 22 to drive the conveyor l0 and the conveyors it and it, all of which are suitably connected by belts and suitably synchronized and timed to perform the functions herein described. When the carton clears the switch 25 it opens the switch and stops the machine until another carton is pushed into contact with it. It will be seen therefore that as one carton is fed into the machine, the conveyor will start and carry it forwardly until it clears the trigger 25. The machine will then stop and the carton will remain stationary with the rollers l2 resting on'the flaps. If anothi carton is fed into the machine, the first one will 55 be carried forwardly into the machine until the second clears the trigger and both will then remain in the machine. After the machine is filled it will be seen that for each new carton fed into the machine, another will be discharged therefrom. If desired, the trigger 25 can be depresed manually and operation of the machine continued until it is emptied of cartons.

The chains carrying the vertical channels or guides H are indicated by 26 and mounted on upper sprockets 21 and lower sprockets 28. The lower chains rest upon angle iron guides 29 to support the same.

The ends of the rollers I2 are reduced in diameter as indicated by l2a, and thes reduced ends are mounted in the guides ll.

30 indicate rotatable collars or wheels on the reduced ends of the rollers I2 serving as antifriction members to support the rollers [2 in the guides l8 on which the rollers roll by gravity from the rear end of the machine back to the front. l8a, l8a may serve as guide rails between which the wheels 30 operate. The horizontal feeders l9 are carriedon chains mounted on sprockets on the shafts 32 and 32a. The vertical conveyor members I6 are mounted on chains carried on upper sprockets on th shaft 33 and on lower sprockets mounted on stub shafts 34, 34.

35 is a counterweight for the apron 13 to partially counterbalance the weight of said apron with th rollers thereon so that pressure of the free end of said apron on the carton will not be too great.

It will be seen that if a very low carton is fed into the machine directly behind and close to a very high one the apron as it leaves the high carton may swing freely downwardly until it strikes the low carton with the result that one or more rollers may drop rather heavily upon the lower carton. If this is found objectionable, the lower carton can be spaced some distance behind the higher carton by operating the machine a short time by manual movement of the trigger 25 until the high carton is moved some distance into the machine. The result of this will be to allow the apron 13 to swing downwardly to its limit where it is stopped by the stop 36 engaging the frame members 31. It will be seen that whenthis is done some rollers will fall in the space between the cartons. This, however, is not objectionable, as the lower ends of the vertical guides H are closed as indicated by I la and the rollers will merely rest by their ends on the parts Ila and be carried toward the end of the machine until they are lifted upwardly by the strips l5. It will also be noted that, in a similar manner, if a high carton follows too closely behind a low one, the apron l3 will be lifted from the low carton before all the rollers have been deposited thereon with the result that some of the rollers will fall from the end of the apron onto the carton with some force. I! this is found to be objectionable, the cartons can be sufliciently spaced to avoid this by manual operation of the trigger 25 as above described.

In Fig. 6 is shown a typical carton A with the flaps 33, 38 and 33, 39. The upper surfaces of the former, or the lower surfaces of the latter, or both, may be supplied with suitable adhesive before the carton is put into the sealing machine. The rollers l2, l2 rest on the flaps 33 until the adhesive sets.

stood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A machine of the character described, including: means for advancing a carton into the machine; a series of vertically movable pressure members; means for advancing said pressure members at the same rate as a carton, whereby said pressure members rest upon the flaps of said carton and apply pressure thereto; and means for returning the pressure members from the discharge end of the machine to the receiving end.

2. A machine of the character described, including: a horizontal conveyor adapted to carry cartons of different heights; a series of vertically movable pressure members; means for horizontally moving said pressure members at the same rate as the conveyor, said pressure members adapted to rest'upon the flaps of containers on the horizontal conveyor, regardless of the height of said containers: and means for returning the pressure members from the discharge end of the machine to the receiving end.

3. A machine of the character described, including: a horizontal conveyor adapted to carry containers of various heights; 9. series of vertically movable pressure members; means for horizontally moving said pressure members at the same rate as the conveyor; means at the receiving end of the machine for depositing said pressure members upon the top of a container entering the machine; and means for returning the pressure members from the discharge end of the machine to the receiving end.

4. A machine of the character described, including: a horizontal conveyor adapted to carry containers of various heights; a series of vertically movable pressure members; means for horizontally moving said pressure members at the same rate as the conveyor; means at the receiving end of the machine for depositing said pressure members upon the top of a container entering the machine; means at the discharge end of the machine for lifting said pressure members from the top of said container; and means for returning the pressure members from the discharge end of the machine. to the receiving end.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1 with an inclined apron at the receiving end to support the vertically movable pressure members and deposit them upon the container.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 2 with an inclined apron at thereeeiving end to support the vertically movable pressure members and deposit them upon the container.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 3 with an inclined apron at the receiving end to support the vertically movable pressure members and deposit them upon the container.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 4 with an inclined apron at the receiving end to support the I inclined apron pivoted at one end with its free end adapted to rest upon a container entering pressure members 11. A machine aclaimed in claim 3 with an inclined apron pivoted at one end with its free end adapted to rest upon a container entering the machine and deposit the pressure members thereon.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 4 with an inclined apron pivoted at one end with its free end adapted to rest upon a container entering the machine and deposit the pressure members thereon. c

13. A machine as claimed in claim 1 with means at the discharge end for lifting the pressure members from the cartons, said means including inclined rails at the sides of the machine.

14. A machine as claimed in claim 2 with means at the discharge end for lifting the pressure members from the cartons, said means including inclined-rails at the sides of the machine.

15. A machine as claimed in claim 3 with means at the discharge end for lifting the pressure members from the. cartons, said means in-- cluding inclined rails at the sides of the ma chine.

16. A machine as claimed in claim 4 with means at the discharge end v for lifting the pressure members from the cartons, said means including inclined rails at the sides of the machine.

17. A machine of the character described, includin'g: means for advancing a carton into .the machine; a series of disconnected vertically movable pressure members; and means for advancing said pressure members at the same rate as a carton, wherebysaid pressure members rest upon I the flaps of said carton and apply pressure thereto.

18. A machine as claimed in claim 1 with a movable inclined apron at the receiving end to support the vertically movable pressure members and deposit them upon the container.

- 19. A machine as claimed in claim 2 with .a movable inclined apron at the receiving end to support the vertically movable pressure members anddeposit them upon the container.

20. A machine as claimed in claim 3 with a movable inclined apron at the receiving end to .support the vertically movable pressure members and deposit them upon the container.

21. A machine as claimed in claim 4 with a movable inclined apron -at,the receiving end to support the vertically movable pressure members and deposit them upon the container.

' MORRIS 'P. NEAL. 

